Darren McFadden Q&A

McFadden: For me, I really didn’t know what to expect. I heard a lot of talk about New York, I heard a lot of talk about Oakland too. For me, I was sitting back and I was going to be happy with my name being called.

Q: Lane Kiffin said he called you this morning, what was that conversation like?

McFadden: It’s just a great feeling, he told me if I’m there at No. 4 pick, we was going to call my name. And right before he got off the phone he said he hoped to be talking to me again soon. It was something I was very proud of. I’m very happy, to be able to go to Oakland.

Q: What do you know about Lane Kiffin’s offense and how it might be a fit for you?

McFadden: I like the way he uses his running backs. When he was at USC he moved his running backs around a lot. I just love the way he does that, I feel it’s something I can bring to Oakland, being a versatile player, that I can move around and give them a different style.

Q: He’s compared you to Reggie Bush and that he can use you in similar ways. Is that what you see?

McFadden: I feel like he can use me some of the same ways they use Reggie Bush. Those are real good things and I’m very versatile.

Q: Your thoughts on coming to a place with a lot of running backs?

McFadden: Me, I want to come in and just learn the offense. I’m going to sit back and let those veterans teach me. And when the coaches call upon on me to go out there and play I’m going to go out there and give it my all.

Q: Surprised the Raiders drafted you because they had so many RBs?

McFadden: Yeah, it surprised me, but I feel like after talking with the coaching staff, that they were missing the big-play ability and that was something I could help with.

Q: What did you assure the Raiders that any off-the-field issues, character issues, were not going to be a problem?

McFadden: You know, they did a lot of research on me. They talked to everyone, and asked questions about the type of guy Darren McFadden is. And the people they talked to, evenyone than knows me, told them Darren McFadden’s a great guy. That off the field I made mistakes and it was nothing they had to be concerned with.

Q: Your thoughts on Raider nation, the Black Hole, the history of the organization, an important thing for you to carry on a tradition?

McFadden: It’s going to be very important for me to carry on a tradition. You never want to ruin a tradition, you always want to carry it on. I love the Raider Nation, they’re very passionate about the Raiders so I’m looking forward to getting out and playing for them.

Q: When you were reading pre-draft analysis that question your character, what are some things people weren’t saying that you think they should know?

McFadden: The things they don’t say about Darren McFadden is the things I’ve done around the community. I’ve been doing community events since I was in high school, going to help out, Special Olympics in high school, being able to do things like that. Then two Christmas breaks ago, we were on Christmas break, there was a plane crash at the airport in Arkansas and I went and visited the kids at the airport, I mean in the hospital. Those are a lot of things people don’t talk about.

Q: Looking forward to getting away from home, moving out here?

McFadden: I feel like it’s gonna be a good thing for me, being able to be away
from home. It’s something I’m looking very forward to.

Q: Given thought to playing with JaMarcus?

McFadden: I know it’s gonna be great to be in the huddle with him. I played against him a couple times in college. I’d much rather be on the same side of the ball he’s on.

Q: Are your blocking skills underrated?

McFadden: A lot of people don’t look at those things. Going through the draft, people competing so much, they overlook the good things that you do. And that’s something Coach Rathman pointed out that he really enjoyed, my passion for the game. And possibly he can take me to the next level. With him coaching me, he’ll be able to take me to the next level.”

Q: Anyone gonna move out here with you? How many infant car seats do you own?

McFadden: I’m planning on having my sister move out with me, where she can help me out around the house. Maybe make me feel at home while I’m away.

Q: You mean, like, do women’s work?

McFadden: (Laughs) She’s a great help around the house, you know? She’s always keeping me positive. So she can help out, watch over me a little bit for me, it’ll help me out in a lot of ways.

Q: How have the last 24 hours been for you?

McFadden: It’s been a whirlwind. You don’t know where you’re gonna go, sitting back and just waiting, and then you finally hear your name called. And when you finally get the phone call to where you’re gonna go, you be so happy.

Q: What was your favorite NFL team growing up?

McFadden: Growing up I was a Broncos fan because I liked watching Terrell Davis and John Elway play, Ed McCaffrey, Shannon Sharpe, I loved to watch those guys play.”

Q: You mention that to Al Davis?

McFadden: No, sir, not at all.

Q: Did you know before Goodell took the podium with Raiders’ pick?

McFadden: I had already known, because they had called me a couple minutes before. They gave my agent a call and gave me a call, so we already knew before they announced it.

Q: You concerned about fumbles?

McFadden: No, it’s not a concern at all, cause I talked to Coach Rathman. We both sat there and watched game film together on me. He was showing some of the things I was doing. He was telling one of the main things, I was not locking my elbow down. And that’s something that’s easily corrected, so it won’t be a problem with fumbling at all.

Q: How are your skills as a receiver.

McFadden: That shows my versatility. I have great hands coming out of the backfield. It’s something we didn’t do much in college at all. We never really threw to the running back the ball. It’s something that I feel very confident doing.

Q: Maybe they’ll let you throw it, too?

McFadden: Heh. I don’t know if they’ll want me to do that. But if they try to put in a play for me to throw it, I’d love to do it.”

Q: How do you compete about the comparisons to Reggie Bush?

McFadden: For them to compare me to Reggie Bush, I feel like he’s a very shifty guy. I like to get downhill and get running.

Q: How ready are you to step in right away? What do you need to work on?

McFadden: I feel like I’m a very skilled guy. You know, I feel like I’m ready to step in there. I’m not the type of guy that’s gonna be happy to be in the NFL, and when I get there I want to be doing great things, I don’t want to just be out there. I want to play great and make big plays.

2 WR’s left worth taking. Day 2 guys now. Come on Raiders get a 3rd, early 3rd!

Thec

I like hawkins is a better reciever than jackson IMHO runs better routes

Tommy Trojan

amen bhp

RaiderNation951

Keep the big 10 talentless hacks off the team. No more OSU flops! If carter sucks, we know why….he is from OSU.

R.A.W.

F the Bucs!!!! I wanted Dexter Jackson to be a raider!!!! Screw the bucs for taking him!!! Screw the Eagles for taking the other good KR Jackson!!!! Screw Carr for leaving us!!!!! darn we need a good KR.

Thec

1. Montana Bradshaw
2. Aikman
3. Brady
4. Starbach
5. Elway

KoolKell

I thought Dorsey would have gone #1. Slid to #5, ouch.

La Milicia Negra

Man what bux are doing reminds me of when Bruce Allen and Gruden Fåcked up our drafts… pooor buccaneer fans

Eleven Angry Men

Dan Conner can’t carry kirk’s jock.

Thec

Rhodes can run back kicks and punts. Its going to be the only way he sees the field. We are the NFL’s version of USC football

RaiderNation951

Fro, Everyday and 4x’s on sunday. Josh is going to get crushed as a starter in Miami. Long isnt enough to keep him upright.

Pirate Arrrrrrgggggghhhhh

all these WRs are crap. If you like JL Higgins, Carlos Francis, Johnny Morton, etc., that’s what you’ll be getting. All crap this year except maybe Hardy, who has a lot of flaws anyway.

Thec

Watched a lot of college footbal. Hawkins is a good reciever. Not like dear in head lights JLH

Eleven Angry Men

But JL higgins has a dirty name. Does that count for anything?

La Milicia Negra

Thec…

if the pedigree follows i hope you are right, but if it means we will be a college team playing against pro teams then i hope you are wrong =)

Dakota

Exactly Pirate…Doug Gabriel is better than most of these guys, lol.

RaiderNation951

Thec, troy was a product of the system, not a great qb. Without emmit and that OL, he was toast. Plus he can’t even spell his own name anymore because of all the concussions.

Thec

LMN, Its all about system. What USC means to college football thats what we will mean to the NFL.

in the 2000’s USC hands down is the most dominate football team in college football PERIOD.

yikes Jerome Simpson and Jason Jones gone already. Man I was hoping both of them would be around in the 4th. I been hyping Jerome since the senior bowl, he is gonna be a good player in this league.

RaiderNation951

two left……..we have until tomorrow to pull a trade.

Kush

You can quote me, and if I’m wrong I’ll admit it like a man…but when it’s all said and done, I strongly believe Chad Johnson will end up in Silver and Black. The Raiders Return to Greatness is Inevitable.

Dakota

Why not just keep Fasano??? Fasano must have asked out of Dallas.

Thec

951 agreed but he got it done. Thats all that matters is getting it done. Rings not things.

You’re comparing QB’s from different eras. Remember, defensive back rules have GREATLY CHANGED, OVER the last 5-10 years. The game has been changed to make it easier for QB’s. You can’t hit them, you can’t check the receivers. It’s a totally different game than even 10 years ago. That’s a major reason guys like Manning and Brady look better than they actually are. But the point about Elway is, when he brought his team to the Super Bowl 3 times his first 7 years in the league, since he was apparently not very good, who was good on those teams??????

Dakota

This has to be where Dan Connor goes…NYG.

RaiderNation951

pats need cb’s, could this be the spot? who is left at OLB, DT, DE that would be worth trading back into the draft for?

Thec

You can qoute me as well, we will win SB in 3 years.

La Milicia Negra

The WR’s left that I like…

Jordy Nelson
Early Deucet
Marcus Smith

Dakota

NE would rather pay a rookie to play CB than pay Washington’s salary I guess.

RaiderNation951

they took a cb, just not one of ours.

Dakota

jordy is gone isn’t he?

Thec

1. Montana Bradshaw
2. Aikman
3. Brady
4. Starbach
5. Elway

These QB’s cover the 70’s 80’s 90’s 2000’s

Tommy Trojan

the OL and D were great on those teams, the game as a whole is so much more advanced today and so much more complicated, QBs must be much more cerebral and much more accurate today to survive in the league, elway was a terrible decision maker, he was clutch, that is all he can claim, no QB in NFL history is as technically sound and accurate as brady and manning

La Milicia Negra

Dakota..

sorry, My bad, GB took him

M.I.A. Raiders

Well Fellas…Lets Hope for a 3rd Rounder Tomorrow.

We Most Definitely Deserved an A+ for Our Picks in the First Two Rounds !

yeah, Jordy is already taken.
I hope the Raiders can land Early Doucet in the 3rd, that would be sweet

RaiderNation951

Thec, I hope your right, but the pickups better play up to their ability that cable and Kiff saw in them, otherwise, we will have a top 10 pick again next year, and a new coaching staff coming in to make the picks. Either JL or D Green……….either would be a huge step backwards.

How’s about Kirk Barton the LT from yep, you guessed it, Ohio State in the 4th???

Tommy Trojan

we should get a 3rd tomorrow

Eleven Angry Men

La milicia negra, jordy nelson already taken.

La Milicia Negra

Adrian Arrington, in the late rounds

Tom

What do you guys think about
Darrell Robertson has a defensive end
who excels at rushing defense with
our first second day pick and what
about Edward Williams as a wide
receiver who could excel as a later
round pick. Check these two guys
out I think they can help.